Connectedness, joy, comfort, authenticity and Irishness – that’s what we feel when we think about Avoca, its stores, its beautiful, carefully selected things to buy, its extraordinary food and its wonderful people. We call it the #AvocaFeeling.

In a new series, we meet some of the brilliant women who create, live and breathe the magic of Avoca, and some of Avoca’s firm friends and fans, who are legion all over Ireland – and the world!

We’re also asking you, our reader, what makes you feel happy, connected and at peace with the world (particularly now, when the world feels tilted on its axis). What gives you that #AvocaFeeling? It might be baking your favourite Avoca scones, a cup of coffee with a pal, curling up on the sofa beside the fire, a hike up a mountain or a walk in a forest, your morning yoga practice, a delicious dinner (with wine), or rediscovering an activity you enjoyed as a child. In tough times, we need daily or weekly rituals … please share yours!

To share what gives you that #AvocaFeeling, email us on digital@thegloss.ie or share a picture or video on Instagram, make sure to tag and follow us @theglossmag and @avocaireland so we can see your entries. We will share some of our favourite stories on thegloss.ie over the coming weeks…

THIS WEEK: THE JOY OF FOOD AT AVOCA

Teresa Byrne, Operations Director at Avoca shares her #AvocaFeeling …

“I feel very fortunate to have joined Avoca in the early days of our food journey, over 28 years ago, and I am very lucky to have learned from the very best. It has been a process of growing from the ground up, and everything I know at this stage I have learned from experience rather than a manual. The customers really are at the core of the business here. They have been on the journey with us from the beginning and are the reason that our food story has evolved with cafés, food markets and more. We have a fantastically loyal customer base and I truly feel I have formed friendships with a lot of familiar faces over the years. It’s quite rare for the business world! I get my #avocafeeling when I meet children, grandchildren and even great-grandchildren, of customers I’ve known since the start.

The team at Avoca are fantastic, and I consider it such a privilege to work with them. They truly care about the food they produce, and they have such a passion for great local, Irish ingredients. There really is a wonderful team spirit within the Food Team, and I hugely admire their commitment to their craft. Our bakers, for example, are in the bakeries each morning bright and early at 3am to bake all our breads by hand. They take a lot of pride in their work, and it really shows.

Christmas at Avoca, and at home for us, is always about the food. We usually have quite a traditional Christmas in my house – and it’s a lovely opportunity for myself and my family to spend quality time together. Every year without fail we serve up the traditional Avoca glazed ham as the star of our Christmas dinner. The braised red cabbage is always a must-have for us too.

As a family, our favourite Christmas ritual is getting out early with the dogs for a walk in the nearby forest in Roundwood. It’s the perfect start to a great Christmas Day, and we’ve been doing it for years! It’s a little tradition that brings us a lot of happiness. When we get home, we open presents together, making sure we get some nice family photographs to add to our collection from over the years. I usually work every Christmas Eve, and it really brings me joy being in among the hustle and bustle of the food markets on that day. I love seeing the familiar faces of some of our regular customers and their families, and it’s a great chance for me to wish them a Happy Christmas and thank them for all of their support throughout the year.”

Nicola Connolly, founder of beauty wellness brand Nunaïa, shares her #AvocaFeeling

I went on a journey of self-exploration across South America studying and researching ancestral traditions and wisdom to help me bring the balance, joy and connection back into my own life. After 14 years, I came back to Ireland with a passion for creating little moments of connection in my own day. These are little moments that bring me joy and help me come back into a place of calm and inner connection. These little rituals have become even more important over the past few months as life has become more challenging for us all.

My favourite current ritual is to wander in Ireland’s wild places. I have a deep respect for nature and her incredible power to ground and heal. She helps calm, soothe and nurture and it’s to her I have been returning most over the past while. At least once a week I will spend a few hours rambling and enjoying nature in solitude. I come away feeling renewed and inspired. It helps to put everything else going on in the world in perspective and allows me to return to my life with a greater sense of hope and balance.

On the days when I can’t get out into nature, I make sure to take time every evening to surround myself with nature’s magic. I burn natural essential oils, light a candle and follow my Nunaïa skin ritual to deeply nourish my skin and help me ease out any stress and tension from the day. It helps me ‘close’ what has usually been a busy day, re-connect to how I am feeling and prepare for restful sleep.

You can find the complete Nunaïa range in Avoca stores. Find out more at www.nunaia.com and @nunaiabeauty.